The Dyson Joint Command’s engineering and scientific efforts within the Solanae Dyson Sphere have yielded incredible results. The Romulan Republic, Klingon Defense Force, and Federation have all been able to adapt the astonishing technologies found within this artificial celestial structure to their own ends. The end results are truly unique starships that are inspired by designs found within the Solanae Dyson Sphere, but adapted to suit the needs of each faction without the required use of Omega Particles. Each of these starships is first and foremost a Science vessel, but is capable of entering Tactical Mode to significantly alter how the starship performs.

The Dyson Science Destroyers can be earned by completing the “Collect 2014 Anniversary Event Rewards” Event Reputation project while the 4th Anniversary Event is running. While this limited-time project requires a total of 1000 of these tokens to complete, you will receive a package of 400 as a one-time bonus the first time you complete the new Feature Episode, “A Step Between Stars.”

Dyson Science Destroyers possess unique features not found on any other starship. Each of these are outlined below:

Tactical Mode

By default the Dyson Science Destroyer is a Science Vessel. However, activating the Tactical Mode ability the starship will transform. Many science systems will be disabled or altered while some tactical systems will become active. When activating Tactical Mode the following occurs:
•Enables Dual Heavy Proton Cannon
•+15 Weapon Power
•+Turn Rate
•+Impulse Speed
•+Inertia
•Lt. Commander Tactical Bridge Officer seat is upgrade to Commander Tactical
•Commander Science Bridge Officer seat is downgraded to Lt. Commander Science
•Secondary Deflector is disabled
•Sensor Analysis is disabled
•Subsystem Targeting is disabled
•-15 Aux Power

Tactical Mode may be deactivated at any time to return to the default Science Mode, but doing so incurs a 60 second cooldown on the transformation back to Tactical Mode.

Solanae Dual Heavy Proton Cannons [Acc] [CrtH]x2 (Very Rare)

These devastating weapons are only available when the Dyson Science Destroyer is in Tactical Mode and are built into the ship. They cannot be removed. When in tactical mode, the starship effectively has 4 Fore and 3 Aft weapon slots with one of the Fore slots automatically taken by the Solanae Dual Heavy Proton Cannons. These experimental weapons are already balanced to do comparable damage to more conventional energy types, and can be further enhanced by Consoles which enhance Cannons and/or Proton Damage.

Solanae Secondary Deflector (Rare)

The Dyson Science Destroyer is the first starship to feature a secondary deflector, although it is rumored that all members of the Dyson Joint Command are hard at work at retrofitting all science ships to have the ability to equip this powerful piece of hardware. When this retrofit process is complete, this secondary deflector may be equipped on any starship with a secondary deflector slot.

The Solanae Secondary Deflector is leveless and levels up with the user. It is a heavily modified Deteriorating Secondary Deflector and it causes some Science bridge officer powers to drain a small amount of shield strength from their target and use it to replenish the Dyson Science Destroyer’s shields. This affect is always applied to the following powers:
•Tachyon Beam
•Charged Particle Burst
•Energy Siphon
•Tyken’s Rift
•Viral Matrix

Solanae Overcharged Warp Core Mk XII (Very Rare)

This warp core provides the standard benefits of an Overcharged type Warp Core. In addition, it also allows the starship to create a Subspace Fold every several seconds. This causes the starship to instantaneously warp approximately 2 Light Years forward while in Sector Space.

This Warp Core is also part of the Solanae Hybrid Technologies item set. The Deflector, Shields and Engines from this set are rewards from completing the “A Step Between Stars” Feature Episode. The stats for this impressive space set are listed in the 4th Anniversary Event rewards blog.

Solanae Hybrid Technologies Item Set

This set's Deflector, Impulse Engine, and Shields can be earned by completing the Anniversary Feature Episode "A Step Between Stars," while the Warp Core comes pre-equipped on every Dyson Science Destroyer. Federation and Klingon versions of this vessel come with a Matter-Antimatter Warp Core, while the Romulan variant is fitted with a Singularity Core of similar design. Both separate core types function in this set. Below are this set’s bonuses:
•2 Piece Bonus – Cyclical Shield Conduits •Passive •+Shield Power Setting
•+Shield Power (Bonus increased at low power)

•3 Piece Bonus – Structural Integrity Leech •Passive •Grants all of your Energy Weapon attacks a 1% chance to repair your hull for 100% of the damage they deal. •May only trigger once every 5 seconds

NOTE: The C-store ships we mentioned in yesterday’s Anniversary Rewards blog come with neither the warp core nor the secondary deflector that are mentioned above. If you are interested in the warp core or the secondary deflector, especially to use them in the two different 4-piece set bonuses available (first with the Anniversary event and the second from the C-store bundles next month), make sure to complete the 4-year anniversary reputation project for each character.

New Bridge

The Dyson Science Destroyer starships also feature a new unique bridge. While visiting your bridge, you will also be able to access your Account Shared Bank, move into a Small Craft, and contact different ship departments for Duty Officer assignments.

NOTE: The stats and features of the above ships are all subject to change.

The Dyson Science Destroyer Ships are on the cutting edge of Allied Faction technology, and will become a powerful addition to your starship collection. We hope you enjoy our upcoming Feature Episode “A Step Between Stars” and these new and amazing ships. Have fun Captains, and see you in-game!

Cool, good to know. Guess i can ignore crafting then and just focus on doing missions which have been improved.

One more question, Duty officers, am i right in thinking you basically send them on 'assignments' and then after a set amount of time they return having completed them. You can then collect the reward and if you want put them on active duty, which gives you a buff in space/ground depending on who they are but takes them off the assignment duty.

Is that right or is there more to it? As reminds me a bit of Assasins Creed Brotherhood mini game but looks more complicated.

@Sharzam Yeah that's right, the blue and purple ones have higher chances...well you'll probably get the idea rather quickly. They also give you xp towards your next rank, which is very useful as well when your still leveling up.

I wouldn't risk a purple Doff on any missions that have medium, high or extreme risk though, as there's a chance your Doff could die on the mission (and some of the Doffs are unique). Also check the mission text as some missions have a 100% chance of losing doffs (transporting colonists, taking a changeling into custody, prisoner exchange etc.).

You can also get doffs from the Fleet Starbase for fleet marks, though I tend to just use that to fill up Fleet Projects.

Of course the ESA still exists! It still has everyone in it from beta and early access, no-one has ben kicked or anything. There are about 10 still active. We have a starbase with a bartender and disco. I think that's the important stuff.

I thought purple doffs can't die? I've certainly never had anything blue or better snuff it, even on failure. I shall have to research this further.

Edit: Was almost right, it seems it's green or better that can't die, although there was bug that killed a few by mistake. So only common will die on an epic assignment failure. Yes, even a green redshirt is safe

Higher levels DOFFs do indeed just go to sickbay for a while, quite a long while at times too.

For those doing the really tedious party patrol and get the gifts task, just switch to manual aim mode (press B) when it stops, the mini-Q will target when you point the reticle over the box it's hiding in.

Plus if you want Fleet Starships feel free to get some.Though due to how the game works you'd have to leave the ESA, join The Phoenix Division (which I can do easily) buy the starships and then leave and rejoin the ESA,but if you want to do it go for it.Gotten full permission from my boss.

I know at least one player here is an Escort user, so I'd like to ask a couple of things.

Escorts have never been my thing as they seem to rely on you doing immense burst damage and minimising returned fire. I find my B'Rel Refit on my KDF character feels less forgiving when it comes to how I chose skills and equipment. It took me longer to get it set up to be even vaguely useable than any other ship - with the Intrepid or a cruiser like a Galaxy, it always seemed like I had enough shields and hull by default to get away with a lot more.

So are there any good tips for setting an Escort up that might help? My B'Rel is mostly cannons and turrets just now, with consoles and skills focused on upping damage. I enjoy using it, but I don't see the sort of immense firepower I've seen others use.

Make sure you're using Dual Heavy Cannons, best DPS and due to how power levels work they're the most efficient. Cannon skills are essential, as is Tac Team 1 and I'd always fit one attack pattern (Beta is flavour of the month, so I'd carry Delta). I used to always go for HYT and CRF, but now go for TS and CSV as my first choices (or have swap out BOFFs ready).

Heals-wise Hazard Emitters is great as it removes plasma fire and EPtS is a good shield heal - especially as Doffs can reduce cooldown and boost power levels.

I also wouldn't fly an escort without Tractor Beam 1 in the tray, keeping your target in front of you (and focusing on one shield quadrant) is by far the most important thing to do.